Don’t get caught out in the perfect storm

Joanne Gilliard, CEO of Jangro, offers advice to help cleaning businesses work smarter and avoid unethical traders amidst rising costs.

Up and down the country, the cost of living crisis is squeezing budgets. Businesses are being faced with price increases from every angle: spiralling energy expenses and rising costs of raw materials, which is, in turn, pushing up product prices, to name but a few.

At the same time, as we learn to live with Covid, workers are being encouraged (or mandated) to return to their usual workplaces. With people interacting more, businesses cannot afford to skimp when it comes to cleaning and hygiene.

Depend on trusted suppliers for quality

During times of crisis, unethical companies surface looking to take advantage of the situation. We saw this two years ago at the outbreak of the pandemic, when demand outpaced supply of cleaning and hygiene products. Profiteering opportunists entered the market and charged desperate buyers extortionate prices for supplies that had no guarantee of meeting industry standards.

This time, purchasers need to beware unscrupulous providers offering low-cost solutions instead. The Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers Association (CHSA) recently issued a warning explaining that, against the backdrop of the escalating cost of raw materials and energy, those reducing prices are likely to be compromising on product quality and quantity.

The best way to shop in confidence is to deal with a CHSA Accredited Distributor, like Jangro. This is the only way that customers can be sure that they are buying products, which are fit-for-purpose, meet industry standards, and are reliable both in terms of their high quality and the exact quantity promised on the packaging. Whilst not immune to rising costs, the increased buying power of a distributor also means high quality products are offered at more consistent, competitive prices.

Quality products often mean there are other benefits to the end-user too. For example, a high-quality sanitiser may reach its stated efficacy level more quickly than a sub-standard or cheaper alternative – minimising the risk of infection spreading around the workforce, and, in turn, reducing absenteeism. They may reduce wastage or benefit from other eco-friendly features, like Jangro’s new ntrl range, which can help companies lower their carbon footprint and reach their own sustainability goals.

Work smarter to boost productivity

We are huge advocates of training – well-trained employees work efficiently, cost-effectively and to a high standard, therefore optimising productivity. The investment need not be time intensive or expensive either. At Jangro, all of our customers and their staff have access to our CPD (Continuous Professional Development) accredited, interactive, and award-winning training platform, the LMS (Learning Management Solution). It covers a wide range of topics with varying course lengths and is highly flexible and versatile, enabling users to train remotely at times that suit them or to dip in and out of short or longer sessions.

A living wage

We know that budgets are under pressure, however it is important to pay staff fairly, especially in the current economic climate. At Jangro, we are proud to be an accredited Living Wage Employer. We believe that rewarding employees fairly for their hard work and the value they bring to the business is vital to maintain a strong, motivated team.

This may seem at odds with balancing the bottom line in the face of rising costs – however, paying a wage that is enough to live on is good for business, the individual and society. Not only will employers know that staff and their families will be able to ‘heat and eat,’ but they will reap commercial benefits too. These include higher loyalty, greater productivity and reduced staff turnover, which, in turn, saves both time and money in recruitment.

It’s going to be a tough couple of years ahead. The key to survival is to look at the bigger picture and think creatively. Train staff to work smarter and more productively, reward them with a living wage, and partner with a trusted supplier to procure quality products that do more than just ‘clean.’ This will all help to boost productivity and lessen the sting of rising costs.

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